simple

...He looked at me.

...he saw my worth.

I've been watching a show on A&E called hoarding. It's a pretty brutal show to watch because in most cases someone has gone through an event in life that has triggered an emotional response. The response is usually to gather  as many items with some kind of connection to the individual to the point of compulsion. It definitely goes into the realm of unnecessary.

These peoples 'habitats' are extreme. Items and possessions are kept at an extreme. In some cases there are even those who cannot part with waste or filth. They become prisoners in their environment. They are without a doubt their own worst enemies. Whole rooms become engulfed with trash, waste, material objects and pests that come along with poor living conditions. From floor to ceiling, room by room filled with undesirable objects to everyday people's standards.

In some ways, these people are mentally ill. In others they are reacting emotionally to a life event. Some lack an acceptance of reality to the situation. To some it's even a lack of parting with their most prized possession, their pride. Some are embarrassed not wanting to seem weak or judged by others.

I can't imagine the scrutiny of being under the microscope. My embarrassment put out into the open for all to see. My defect made public. My trash and my ugliness placed on an alter for the masses to judge.

What if the world could peak into our virtual accounts of disappointment. If there was a show devoted to exposing the very worst parts of each and every one of us? Imagine all of our garbage packed from floor to ceiling and us sitting in the middle of all it.

I tried once to talk to my cousin about Christianity. I, in hindsight, realized I did the typical Christian attack. I asked a few condemning questions. I pointed out the logic and all the idealism's and of course the end results. I had the Kirk Cameron Text book power play to convert agnostics into believers. (For the record, I'm not bashing him)

I think a lot of Christians get saved and get fired up and forget one small little detail. In a way, our sin is a lot like that hoarded environment. There are definitely parallels. Like the hoarder we are incapable of removing that waste. We are surrounded and consumed by it. We are by default, born into it. Until Christ saved us, we lived hidden in our shame.

Like the hoarder we may be emotionally tied to it. We may have ignored or not accepted the situation. We may have even been too proud to ask for help or afraid to be judged by others.

When I spoke to my cousin I wanted so badly for him to understand where I was coming from. I was hoping for that, throw your hands up and praise Jesus realization that I had. Sadly, I don't know if my words came across... Or even more appropriately, HOW they came across.

We sometimes forget as Christians that until God found us, until he whispered in our hearts, until we woke up inside, we lived in that house. That place of ugliness is a monument to God's love for us. Bibically God calls our best accomplishments filthy rags.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Our beautiful works of art. Our Brilliance, our accomplishments... everything we have every accomplished as a whole, is less than worthless.


I think of my house and my sin and all of my dirt. I picture the mess and realize that my mess next your mess, next to their mess. It's identical. It's measurably the same. I know that because the Bible says, that ALL have fallen short of the grace of God.

We need to stop looking at these houses and rating them. Your dirt isn't as bad as my dirt. Your sin isn't as bad as my sin. Your house doesn't look that bad. Your house isn't as good as mine.

God took us out of that house.

He paid a ransom to get us out of that awfulness.

He cleaned us and removed all trace of that house from us and gave us a better house.

His house.

I have a friend, a rather new friend at that but his ways have inadvertently inspired me. All great minds who follow Christ have the simple realization.

...to love as Jesus loved. Unquestionably, uncontrollably and uncompromisingly.

Thank you Lord for getting me out of there. Thank you for your unending love. Thank you for showing me that where people are in life and their burden of sin were similar to mine. Thank you for showing me how to love them as you loved us.

This is house that Christ built.